she went up to Owain, and took the ring from off his hand. "Thus," said
she, "shall be treated the deceiver, the traitor, the faithless, the
disgraced, and the beardless." {39} And she turned her horse's head, and
departed.

Then his adventure came to Owain's remembrance, and he was sorrowful. And
having finished eating, he went to his own abode, and made preparations
that night. And the next day he arose, but did not go to the Court, but
wandered to the distant parts of the earth, and to uncultivated
mountains. And he remained there until all his apparel was worn out, and
his body was wasted away, and his hair was grown long. And he went about
with the wild beasts, and fed with them, until they became familiar with
him. But at length he grew so weak, that he could no longer bear them
company. Then he descended from the mountains to the valley, and came to
a park, that was the fairest in the world, and belonged to a widowed
Countess.

One day the Countess and her maidens went forth to walk by a lake, that
was in the middle of the park. And they saw the form of a man. And they
were terrified. Nevertheless they went near him, and touched him, and
looked at him. And they saw that there was life in him, though he was
exhausted by the heat of the sun. And the Countess returned to the
Castle, and took a flask full of precious ointment, and gave it to one of
her maidens. "Go with this," said she, "and take with thee yonder horse,
and clothing, and place them near the man we saw just now. And anoint
him with this balsam, near his heart; and if there is life in him, he
will arise, through the efficacy of this balsam. Then watch what he will
do."

And the maiden departed from her, and poured the whole of the balsam upon
Owain, and left the horse and the garments hard by, and went a little way
off, and hid herself, to watch him. In a short time she saw him begin to
move his arms; and he arose up, and looked at his person, and became
ashamed of the unseemliness of his appearance. Then he perceived the
horse and the garments, that were near him. And he crept forward till he
was able to draw the garments to him from off the saddle. And he clothed
himself, and with difficulty mounted the horse. Then the damsel
discovered herself to him, and saluted him. And he was rejoiced when he
saw her, and enquired of her, what land and what territory that was.
"Truly," said the maiden, "a widowed Countess owns yonder Cas